Circuit boards are commonly used in a variety of electronic and electrical systems to perform diverse applications. For example, computers, televisions, manufacturing facilities, industrial equipment, and household appliances all rely upon circuit boards to house electronic components and to communicate electric signals and power. Circuit boards generally include printed wire conductors or circuit board traces for communicating electric power or electric signals to and from devices and connectors on the circuit board. The circuit board traces can be arranged in diverse patterns and can be disposed on any number of layers of the circuit board.
To take advantage of economies of scale, the same circuit board is often produced for a number of different products, models, or applications. The circuit board can be configured for any of a number of uses, modes, or applications after the circuit board is manufactured. The circuit boards are typically configured by connecting or disconnecting circuit board traces via a switch or jumper wire. In this way, a circuit board, which is designed according to an unvarying pattern and produced in large quantities, can be utilized in a multitude of different applications, modes, or uses.
Configuring circuit boards with switches or jumper wires can be disadvantageous. Connecting circuit traces with jumper wires and setting switches increases the assembly cost associated with circuit boards. Additionally, jumpers (e.g., zero-ohm jumpers) and switches can be expensive, especially when inventory costs are considered. Further still, jumper wires and switches require that additional space (e.g., real estate) on the circuit board be utilized for pads or bonding areas associated with those products.
Thus, there is a need for apparatus for selectively connecting circuit board traces. Further still, there is a need for a system for forming an intentional short or bridge between two areas of exposed metal conductors (e.g., traces) on a circuit board. Further still, there is a need for a reflow solder technique that allows circuit board traces to be selectively coupled together without the use of a switch or a jumper wire.